The EU’s political centre of gravity has shifted eastwards with the appointment of Donald Tusk as the president of the European Council.
Tusk built up a reputation in domestic Polish politics as a tough operator.
Tusk knows the council well and how EU leaders interact at summits: he was prime minister for nearly seven years.
In that time, he cultivated strong relationships with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron.
Tusk will need to build upon those ties as EU countries try to boost growth across the continent.
Hailing from a former communist a country, he sees the Russia-Ukraine crisis differently from Western leaders.
Warsaw was one of the key supporters of sanctions against Moscow whilst in office.
Now, Tusk will have to act as an honest broker in his new role.